The world mourns the death of Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday (April 21) at the age of 88 after suffering from chronic lung disease for quite some time. The authorities of the Vatican are in full swing in preparing for the funeral, which several major political figures like American President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will attend.
As per Pope Francis’s wishes, the ceremony will be kept simple and sober, but it will include some proper guidelines and decorum. The authorities of the Vatican are currently planning a seating arrangement for 170 people at the funeral, set to be held on April 26, 2025.
According to a report, the global political climate has required organisers to pay close attention to the placement of world leaders to avoid any diplomatic tensions. Keeping in mind that the event will be telecast globally, it is even more important to keep the seating placement in mind and avoid unnecessary speculation or theories regarding the Pope’s death.
Delegates will be seated alphabetically to avoid drama, according to the French language. (which was a similar case to Pope John Paul II in 2005). That means former US President Donald Trump (États-Unis in French) will not be seated next to Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
However, since there is ongoing tension brewing between the two over the infamous Russia-Ukraine war, Trump will be placed between the delegations from Eswatini and Ethiopia and near French President Emmanuel Macron.
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If the authorities followed an Italian alphabetical order, then both Trump and Zelensky would be seated next to each other, which would cause unease and unnecessary media speculation. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy reportedly had a private meeting with Trump since his meeting with the 78-year-old ended abruptly, asking him to leave the White House.
Furthermore, the dress code for men attending the ceremony is to wear a dark suit with a long black tie and a badge of the same colour on the left lapel of their jackets. Similarly, women are asked to wear modest dresses, black gloves, and a veil with minimal to no accessories. (Only a pearl necklace is allowed.)
Attendees at the funeral include Crown Prince William of Wales, who will be representing the UK, as is custom, together with Prime Minister Keir Starmer; the Italian delegation, which will include 70 people, including President Sergio Mattarella, accompanied by his daughter Laura, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni; the president of the Senate, Ignazio La Russa, and others will also be there.
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The Spanish royals, King Felipe and Queen Letizia, will be accompanied by three ministers, and the Danish Royals will also be present at the global event. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will notably be absent from the event, as they are both under arrest for carrying out International war crimes.
To compensate for their absence, Russia will instead be represented in St. Peter’s Square by Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova, and Israel will send only its ambassador to the Holy See, Yaron Sideman.
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In addition, as per the New York Times, in his final testament, Pope Francis conveyed his desire to be buried in the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major due to his long dedication and love for the Virgin Mary and specifically to the icon of Salus Populi Romani, considered the protector of the Roman people.
Francis is the first Pope to have decided to refrain from using the standard three coffins that were used to bury other Popes in the past. The previous popes have been buried in three coffins, one made out of cypress, a second made of zinc, and a third made of elm.
With this decision, Pope has broken an age-old tradition. This shows that he’s a man way ahead of his time and someone who was quite open to change. He was a popular global leader who did extensive work as the 266th pope, the head of the church, for 12 years.
